Outreach

Suthers Center

Suthers Center Celebrates 10 Years on Broad Street and the Next Phase

Prior to the COVID-19 virus, Suthers operated a thrift store six days a week in Chamblee, GA. Funds from the thrift store supported the purchase of food for the pantry. Due to the virus, the Suthers Center thrift shop, emergency assistance and the food pantry closed temporarily in March 2020.

The Suthers Center has relocated the Food Pantry to St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church in nearby Brookhaven. The thrift store and other services offered by Suthers Center will reopen once an appropriate site is located and health concerns are resolved. For more information on obtaining help, go to: Get Help

The food pantry is currently open from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. each Saturday at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church.

For more information, go to www.sutherscenter.org

Suthers Center Programs

NOTICE: The Suthers Center for Christian Outreach is closed until further notice due to COVID-19

The Emergency Assistance Program helps people in need in the Chamblee and Brookhaven areas (zip codes 30319 and 30341) with funds for utilities, MARTA cards, and vouchers for clothing and household needs from the Thrift Shop. 
Assistance is available on Tuesdays 10 a.m. – noon at the Suthers Center for Christian Outreach at 3550 Broad St in Chamblee. If you are seeking assistance with a bill, bring your ID and the bill with which you need assistance. Be aware that help is only available to residents in the Chamblee and Brookhaven ZIP codes of 30319 and 30341. If you live in another ZIP code, ask for information on organizations in your area. For more information, call the Suthers Center at (770) 455-3358 or visit Suthers Center.

The Food Pantry provides food weekly to individuals and families living in the 30341 and 30319 zip codes. Clients are asked to verify name/addresses with an identification card: driver's license, voter ID, or passport. Clients qualify for food assistance 10 times in one year. The pantry will not turn anyone away and will provide food once if the client lives out of area and will provide information for other sources.

The Hall Assistance and Transition Services (HATS) is a referral service offered to homeless individuals or families, usually for one week of bed, shelter, and meals needed in transition to housing/job training. Service is offered on the basis of need in individual interview with volunteer (s). Any homeless person/family may inquire at Suthers Center for this assistance.

Classes Para Ingles offers classes in essential English communication are offered at Suthers every Monday from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Instructor Mario Bazan and Director, Belinda Wedgwood, meet with Hispanic mothers/parents for practice and assistance with language facility.

Children's Story Corner invites children to hear stories from retired teachers who assist with reading skills and direct play-acting on Saturdays at 11:30 a.m. in the Book Room. Children are provided with books to take home, book bags, refreshments and school supplies

Funds for all programs come primarily from the sale of items at the Suthers Center Thrift Shop, the St. Martin’s Outreach Budget and from donations from St. Martin's fundraising events, church chapters, and individuals. Many donations are given in honor or in memory of a friend or relative.

Volunteers are always needed to carry out this vital ministry.

Emmaus House

Emmaus House was founded in 1967 by Episcopal priest and civil rights activist Father Austin Ford, who led efforts for welfare rights, neighborhood empowerment, and racial justice. Since that time, the Emmaus House has served the Peoplestown community of Atlanta through an after-school program, once-a-month transportation to Reidsville State Prison for family members of inmates, chapel services, hot meals, and a poverty rights office. Emmaus House offers approximately 100,000 hours per year of vital programs and services, serving people of all ages and directly addressing the staggering prevalence of poverty in the neighborhood.

St. Martin’s supports the Emmaus House with regular contributions from the outreach budget. Each year, St. Martin’s annual Turkey Fry raises money for Emmaus House and collects money and turkeys from parishioners to provide for the communities’ Thanksgiving meals. St. Martin’s parishioners volunteer on the directing board of Emmaus House. Volunteers are always welcome for this ministry. For more information or to get involved, email stmartinchurch@stmartins.org.

Holy Comforter

Founded in 1893, Holy Comforter Episcopal Church is a diverse worshipping community in the heart of Atlanta that seeks to restore all people to unity with God and with each other. All are welcome at this unique parish, regardless of where they are on their faith journey. Worship is Episcopalian, Rite II, but is open, fluid, sometimes loud and always interesting. About 60% of the congregation lives with mental illness. All are welcome to come for the Wednesday 6:30 p.m. worship service and group dinner afterwards or for the Sunday Holy Eucharist at 10:30 a.m. with lunch following.

St. Martin's supports Holy Comforter's Friendship Center specifically from the outreach budget. St. Elizabeth's Guild has long been involved with the parish through attending the Wednesday evening service and providing and serving dinner afterwards several times each year. They are now pivoting to support of the Sunday morning service and lunch. Volunteers are always welcome for this ministry. Opportunities are available in the above-noted areas as well as garden, green house, art program and other projects on campus. For more information or to get involved, please email admin@stmartins.org.

Interfaith Outreach Home

IOH is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to provide a safe, secure, and nurturing environment for homeless families. Families in the IOH program live in small self-contained apartments located in Doraville, Georgia. The program is designed to empower families to take control of their lives and successfully return to the larger community through intensive counseling, job searching and preparation, coaching, and life skills training and coaching including problem-solving and decision-making, parenting, budgeting, and money management.

St. Martin’s supports IOH from the outreach budget and, in the last two years, from the Endowment Fund as well. Proceeds from the annual Turkey Fry go to IOH, including donations of money and turkeys from parishioners to provide for the communities’ Thanksgiving meals. Several women’s guilds support IOH by hosting a Christmas celebration for residents with donated gifts and sponsoring other holiday events throughout the year. These guilds also regularly donate food, school supplies, vacuum cleaners, office supplies, and other household items. The bulk of proceeds from events such as the Bridge Luncheon hosted by St. Monica’s Guild go to IOH. One parish family donated an automobile to an IOH family who have since graduated from the program and purchased their own home. Several St. Martin’s congregants serve on the board of IOH. Volunteers are always welcome for this ministry. For more information or to get involved, email stmartinchurch@stmartins.org.

Anonymous Groups

St. Martin’s offers several anonymous groups the space to meet on a regular basis. If you or someone you know is suffering from an addiction or is affected by the addiction of someone they know, please feel free to attend any meeting.

Alcoholics Anonymous Meets every Wednesday evening from 8 to 9 p.m. in Gable Hall.

Al-Anon Meets Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in Pierce Hall Al-Anon is an organization comprising persons whose lives have been negatively affected by someone else’s drinking. The sole purpose of Al-Anon is to help the family and friends of the problem drinker.

AlaTeen Meets Friday evenings at 7:30 p.m. in Rite13 room Alateen meetings provide a safe place for teens who have been affected by someone else’s drinking to talk with people their own age who are going through similar difficulties.

Gambler’s Anonymous Meets every Thursday evening from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Burgreen Room (the library)

Narcotics Anonymous Meets every Friday evening from 8 to 9 p.m. in Gable Hall

For more information on these groups, call the church office at (404) 261-4292.